The Space Accounting Group continued to provide key information to the Comptroller's Accounting Office in support of the calculation of the Indirect Cost Rates necessary to sustain federally sponsored research. Supported by OFMS's annual field audit of over 30,000 spaces, data provided by OFMS is used in 5 of the 13 cost pools described in OMB Circular A-21 which is audited by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The department also provided accurate and timely accounting of the Institute's nearly 10 million gross ft2., in addition to its support of utilization studies, planning references, and space allocation activities of numerous administrative and academic departments, laboratories, and centers. During the year, the group's database and related floorplans were used directly by MIT's central administration and 72 of it's departments, laboratories, and centers. The group also distributes data, reports, and floorplans over the internet (http://web.mit.edu/ofms-space/www/) via the World Wide Web, with an average of 79 requests per day.
Once again, the Systems Development Group provided continuous systems support and enhancement of MIT's existing suite of INSITETM systems as well as support for the ongoing design and development efforts for new facilities-related systems. This action permits MIT to stay abreast of both technology and Federal requirement changes.
The Consortium Support Group provided daily support to INSITETM users in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand via innovative, customer-oriented services. This included a variety of hands-on training courses, remote system installations and support via the Internet, an INSITETM home page, an 11-hour daily Help Desk via telephone, FAX or e-mail, and video training tapes for non-classroom oriented topics.
A decision was made during the year to cease the OFMS operations next year. In its place will be a non-profit MIT spin-off corporation, OFMS, Inc. This private entity, comprised of existing OFMS staff, will allow for MIT's continued use and support of its INSITETM suite of FM systems, as well as access to all new facilities management systems developed by the spin-off corporation, in exchange for an MIT license to use the INSITETM system and name. OFMS, Inc. will also provide continuing support to the existing INSITETM Consortium.
Beginning next fall, MIT will outsource it's space accounting function to OFMS, Inc. for the remainder of the fiscal year. That will include all of the space accounting activities previously provided by OFMS, including field audits, database and floorplan maintenance and distribution, building and room numbering services, and Indirect Cost Rate data for the Comptroller's Accounting Office.
Kreon L. Cyros